The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-16
Probing by Electricity.
Tue MACHINE THAT FAILED TO SAVE
GARFIELD PERFECTED.

From the New York Herald, 4th.l
1.-THE electrical instrument which failed
to locate the bullet in the body of Presi
dent Garfield has at last been perfected
through the united efforts of Professor
Bell and DIR. John III. Girdner, of No.
120 West Thiry-ffth street. Professor
Bell worked at the problem from an
electricians standpoint and DIR. Girdner
worked froEl a surgeons standpoint.
The Doctor used TO be associated with
DIR. Frank Hamilton, who attended the
dying President, and it was through
conversations with DR.. Hamilton that
he became interested in the matter.
DIR. Girdner last night experimental
before large audience in the New York
Academy of Medicine upon Colonel
Benjamin T. Clayton and big lump of
beef. The surgeon explained that a
wire was attached to an electric battery
of six cells. At one point an apparatus
interrupted the current passing through
the wire. Six hundred interruptions
second would suffice. The current then
passed through a coil of No. 25 wire,
then through coil of wire Gwice as
large and then back to the cells. This
formed the primary current. The next
part of the apparatus was common
telephone receiver. A wire led from
this through two coils as in the primary
circuit and back to the telephone.
When the two sets of coils were laid on
one another a metallic sound, rather
musical, would be heard in the tele-
phone. The coils could be so adjusted
that perfect silence was obtainable. If
then the united and adjusted coils were
placed in proximity to any sort of metal
the electrical balance would be disturbed
and the ringing metallic sound would be
heard.
DIR. Girdner then picked up polished
object that looked like long-handled
blacking brush. This be called the ex-
plorer. In it were placed two coils, adj
justed TO silence and held in place by
parafine. A layer of velvet was laid
over this.
A WONDERFUL INVENTION.
Then Colonel Clayton, who was
wounded in the breast by bullet at
the battle of Cedar Mountain, appeared
and barred himself TO the waist. There
was a scar visible at the collar-bone.
President Jacoby put the telephone to
his ear. DR.. Girdner moved the ex-
plorer slowly over the soldiers SCARED
breast. "No sound cried DR.. Jacoby.
The explorer continued to move. "a
faint soundw 1t still moved. 'sLouderf'
Still in motion. "Therel Stopl Loud
estr' The explorer was almost over
Colonel Clayton's heart, and he an
nounced that the bullet had lodged in
L -. = =
the experiment and declared the appa
ratus to be complete success. Their
DR.. Girdner announced that in moving
the explorer over Colonel Clayton's
back he had accidentally discovered {
portion of the bullet which had split Of
when it struck the collar-bone.
President Jacoby placed the explores
over his own heart. mo sound. Moth
| ing metallic" he murmured. Then b,
put it over his trousers pocket ane
cried: '.yery loudl Thirty-five cents.
| A TELEPHoNIc PROBE.
| DIR. Girdner next attached two wire
to the telephone receiver. At the ens
of one wire was a fiat piece of steel an.
at the end of the'other was a long darn
ing needle. This he called a telephone
probe. 1t was not connected In an,
way with an electric battery. The doc
tor explained that, after locating
bullet by the explorer, all a physicial
had to do was to place the fat piece o
steel upon the patients moistened skin
Then the needle should be moistene,
/ and pushed into the flesh as probe. /
might touch flesh, muscle or tissue with
| out effect. but the moment it touches
any sort of metal loud click would b
heard in the telephone. The docto
then probed into 8 big piece of beel
and when President Jacoby announce
that he he heard the click the beef wa
cut open and lump of lead was foun
at the point Of the needle.
DIR. Girdner says that neither he nc
1 Professor Bell have any idea Of paten
ling this discovery, as it win be needle
lby all nations in time of war.